I’m an avid walker. I mean, I am a really serious walker. I wear an Apple and I aim for 10,000 steps a day. Most days I meet or exceed my goal. Only on rare occasions do I fall short, usually because of weather constraints.
I guess you could say I am addicted to walking. I’ll agree with that. Research shows that exercise in all forms releases endorphins, the “feel good” brain chemicals that energize us and elevate mood. I’ve been addicted to walking for several years and I know I don’t feel very good if I miss my regular routine.
That’s not to speak of the emotional boost all of us get from being outside, hopefully enjoying natural surroundings and breathing some fresh air. I’m lucky enough to live in the mountains where I can walk for miles without encountering a car. Walking is my meditation.
Walking is the simplest and cheapest form of exercise I know. All it takes is a decent pair of shoes and a road to follow. New roads and new places are always exciting, so it’s a time to explore as well.
There’s no need for a partner (although companionship can be nice) or a gym membership or anything at all except your feet. For the most part, I don’t let rain or snow stop me—I’ve got a good rain jacket and some snow boots. On very rare occasions, I might resort to our treadmill, but I really find it boring.
With our sedentary lifestyles, the key is to just move it! Yes, it’s nice to walk briskly and get your heart rate up, but even that isn’t essential.
Research published in March in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that, quite literally, the more steps a day you take, the lower your chance of dying of any cause, known as all-cause mortality. In fact, people who logged more than 8,000 steps a day reduced their risk of all-cause death by an amazing 90% over those who took fewer than 4,000 steps a day! That makes walking about the healthiest choice you can make.
We know that walking just 30 minutes a day can increase cardiovascular fitness, strengthen bones, reduce excess body fat and boost muscle power and endurance. At the age of 74, charts tell me that I am more fit than 95% of women my age.
Best of all, recent research from the Healthy Lifestyles Research Center at the University of Arizona shows that three 10-minute walks a day help lower blood pressure better than one 30-minute walk.
That means it’s easy to sneak a quick walking session during your lunch hour (you won’t get sweaty and dirty in that amount of time) or before dinner or before work in the morning. Heck, even a brisk walk around the supermarket or a vacuuming session counts! I think these small chunks of walking time make it more manageable with the busy lifestyles we all embrace these days.
I find that about 2/3 of my daily steps are counted when I am actually “taking a walk” as opposed to doing my ordinary tasks, so it’s pretty painless.
Will you take my 10,000-step challenge? Let me know and post your experiences in my comments section.
More articles on weight management? I’ve got you covered right here.
Good article! Yes, it is so important to walk everyday if possible. I try to do it in spite of the weather we have here!
I’d do this. But since I don’t have a FitBit and don’t know how to do anything fancy on my phone, I guess I’d have to figure out how many steps I take in a half-hour and shoot for time instead of steps.
I’m an avid walker. I mean, I am a really serious walker. I wear an Apple and I aim for 10,000 steps a day. Most days I meet or exceed my goal. Only on rare occasions do I fall short, usually because of weather constraints.
Good article! Yes, it is so important to walk everyday if possible. I try to do it in spite of the weather we have here!
I’d do this. But since I don’t have a FitBit and don’t know how to do anything fancy on my phone, I guess I’d have to figure out how many steps I take in a half-hour and shoot for time instead of steps.
Yes. I take your challenge…. thank you Joy